A Bizarre Pattern in Mortal Kombat 2’s Best Fatalities

Image: Warner Bros. Pictures

When you sit down for a film branded with the name “Mortal Kombat,” you aren’t there for subtlety. You’re there for the franchise’s signature brand of visceral, over-the-top carnage. For the uninitiated, Mortal Kombat revolves around otherworldly combatants clashing in high-stakes tournaments where the very survival of their realms is on the line. Most famously, however, these brawls conclude with a “Fatality”—a final, gruesome act of creative devastation. We’re talking about maneuvers so inventive they border on the absurd—like a well-placed kick causing an opponent’s entire skeleton to erupt from their skin (a personal highlight, frankly).

This level of unbridled brutality isn’t meant for everyone; in fact, the original games famously triggered congressional scrutiny back in the ’90s, fundamentally shaping the video game ratings system we utilize today. Yet, strip away those iconic finishing moves, and the franchise loses its soul. Given the vocal dissatisfaction regarding the lackluster combat in the 2021 adaptation, it’s a relief to see that the 2026 sequel Mortal Kombat 2 leans hard into its R-rated roots. By my count, we are treated to eight distinct Fatalities. That said, I do take issue with the repetitive choreography—there is an overwhelming reliance on impalement this time around. If you’re concerned about my appetite for on-screen destruction, rest assured, I’ll address it in therapy later. For now, join me as I rank the carnage of Mortal Kombat 2 from “merely messy” to absolute, glorious mayhem.

[Ed. note: Major spoilers ahead for every significant death in Mortal Kombat 2.]

8
King Jerrod gets the wrong end of the hammer

Image: Warner Bros. Pictures

The lore of Mortal Kombat is famously labyrinthine and delightfully campy. Edenia is a tranquil realm governed by King Jerrod, a ruler who genuinely seems to have his people’s interests at heart. Enter Shao Kahn—a titan of a villain resembling a steroid-fueled Bane—who arrives to annex Edenia, challenging Jerrod to the inevitable [cue the iconic synth music] mortal combat. Jerrod offers a valiant resistance, but ultimately falls when Kahn drives the spiked handle of his war hammer through the King’s chest. This act of violence scars young Princess Kitana, setting her on a path of lifelong vengeance. While narratively significant, as a cinematic opener for the film’s Fatalities, it unfortunately feels a bit pedestrian.

7
Liu Kang shuffles off the Mortal Kombat coil

Image: Warner Bros. Pictures

Once again, Shao Kahn claims a hero, and once again, the execution feels underwhelming. Sticking to his favorite tactic, Kahn uses the handle of his hammer as a blunt instrument to impale Liu Kang, Earthrealm’s greatest defender.

Liu Kang handles his mortal injury with surprising tranquility, viewing the defeat as the catalyst for his true mission: traversing the Netherrealm to restore his fallen friend, Kung Lao. Perhaps screenwriter Jeremy Slater intended for this understated end to honor Liu Kang’s virtue, but it misfires. Regardless of moral alignment, any character in this universe deserves a demise that earns a stamp of approval from the true Sicko demographic.

6
Jax’s metal arms are no match for a hammer

Image: Warner Bros. Pictures

Prepare yourself for a shock: Shao Kahn impales yet another hero with his trusty hammer handle. This time, it’s Jax who discovers that state-of-the-art cybernetic arms are no match for an emperor who seemingly possesses the ability to regenerate any injury at will. (It feels like the Outworld equivalent of athletic performance enhancement, but I digress.)

Kahn is the primary antagonist of Mortal Kombat 2, so I can concede that he’s essentially invulnerable. What I cannot forgive is his lethargy—he performs these kills with all the professional enthusiasm of a clerk filing taxes. Shao Kahn, would it kill you to show some flair? Perhaps rip out a spine and wear it as a trophy?

5
Sonya Blade lets the arena do the dirty work

Image: Warner Bros. Pictures

Queen Sindel has certainly had a rough run: she’s forced to watch her husband’s public execution, only to be killed, resurrected as a revenant, and shackled to Shao Kahn’s service. Corrupted by dark magic, Sindel enters the tournament as an Outworld champion, initially overpowering Sonya Blade with her devastating ultrasonic shrieks. However, the arena they occupy—dotted with rusty, lethal spikes that erupt from the floor—becomes her ultimate undoing. Sonya pins her down, leading to Sindel being impaled through the face by one of the spikes. While Sindel does make another magical recovery, we’re counting this as a victory for the “Fatality” column, if only because it offers a much-needed injection of environmental creativity.

4
GET OVER HERE!

Image: Warner Bros. Pictures

Hell hath no fury like Scorpion scorned. After perishing in the 2021 film and being cast into the Netherrealm, he’s carved out a quiet, desolate sanctuary for himself, seemingly leaving his murderous past behind. However, when presented with the chance for a rematch against Sub-Zero—the man responsible for his family’s slaughter—the spectral warrior doesn’t hesitate to resume his work.

The sequence is a fan-favorite, featuring the return of his iconic kunai chain and the legendary war cry, “GET OVER HERE!” The execution is even more memorable, with Scorpion cleaving his eternal rival clean in two (vertically, no less). It’s just another reminder that Hiroyuki Sanada is a global treasure.

3
Liu Kang uses his bestie’s hat-blade against him

Photo: Mark Rogers/Warner Bros. Pictures

Remember Kung Lao? The master of the bladed hat was responsible for the highlight of the first film, and he’s returned via dark sorcery for the sequel. Unfortunately, he’s now a thrall to Shao Kahn, pitted against Liu Kang, who desperately tries to pull his old friend back into the light.

When it becomes clear that this reanimated version of Kung Lao is irredeemable, Liu Kang flips the script. In a darkly ironic turn, he claims Kung Lao’s signature weapon and uses it to end him. Watching Liu Kang tearfully vow to rescue his bestie from the Netherrealm while simultaneously using a razor-sharp hat to turn him into a human fountain is inadvertently the funniest moment in the film. May the bros reunite in Mortal Kombat 3—and may that hat see further action.

2
Shao Kahn finally uses a hammer properly

Image: Warner Bros. Pictures/Everett Collection

Shao Kahn doesn’t exactly cover himself in glory throughout most of the film—he racks up the most kills, yet rarely brings anything resembling panache to his work. Thankfully, he redeems himself during his duel with Cole Young. After Cole mistakenly believes he has landed a fatal strike on the virtually immortal emperor, Kahn retaliates with a truly sadistic finisher.

Shao Kahn slams his hammer directly onto Cole’s skull, obliterating it into a fine paste. (Finally, the emperor uses his armament as the gods intended!) The cherry on top is Kahn dragging the remains across the arena, cleaning up the mess with the casual indifference of a housemaid. Given how much ire fans have directed at Cole—an original creation largely inserted for exposition—this outcome feels particularly satisfying. Cole is gone, and he left with absolute flair.

1
Kitana delivers fan service

Image: Warner Bros. Pictures

Given Shao Kahn’s high kill count, it’s only appropriate he receives a particularly gory send-off. After the heroes dismantle the artifact granting him immortality, Kitana exacts long-awaited vengeance on the tyrant who decimated her home and murdered her father. Utilizing her razor-sharp steel fans, she systematically slices Kahn’s head into thick segments—reminiscent of a deli worker tackling a slab of ham. It’s the perfect, high-note conclusion to Mortal Kombat 2 and acts as a definitive answer for those wondering if Kitana would finally get her moment to shine. If Mortal Kombat 3 gets the green light, there’s a vacancy for a villain. Applicants should bring their own hammers.

 

Source: Polygon